When you’re looking at your home’s thermostat controls, you’ve likely noticed that there’s a fan setting for your HVAC system’s blower. This blower helps circulate hot or cold air around your home until the ideal temperature set on your thermostat is reached. However, according to heating experts, what some homeowners don’t realize is that there are two fan settings: on or auto.
Pros & Cons of On
If you decide to set your HVAC’s blower to on, one of the advantages is that it will run uninterrupted and ensure there’s an even distribution of warm or cold air throughout your home, which in turn reduces hot or cold spots. Doing so could also extend the unit’s lifespan since setting your HVAC blower to on will help reduce the stress on your fan due to frequent starts and stops. Apart from that, if the air in your home is pulled through a filtration or UV light system, your indoor air quality could be purer as well.
HVAC repair pros say that there are also a few disadvantages to leaving your HVAC fan set to on. For instance, since your fan is constantly running, it could cause your energy bills to spike and cost you a significant amount in the long run. You’ll also have to replace your furnace filter more frequently since air is constantly being drawn through it.
Pros & Cons of Auto
Setting your HVAC blower to auto also has its own set of advantages. One of these advantages is the fact that this is the most energy-efficient option since the fan only runs when the system is on, instead of continuously. Apart from that, it also dehumidifies your home better during the summer months because it allows moisture from your cold cooling coils to drip and drain outside.
The disadvantage of setting your HVAC fan to auto is that there’s a possibility that the distribution of hot or cold air throughout your home won’t be even. It’ll stop moving air once your home’s temperature reaches the set temperature of your thermostat. Apart from that, you may also need to frequently replace your furnace filters to prevent it from using more energy.
Looking for a professional to do some work on your HVAC system? Don’t hesitate to turn to Anderson Refrigeration, the experts when it comes to heating and blown-in insulation services. Give us a call at (575) 437-8792 or fill out our contact form to request an appointment. We serve homeowners in Alamogordo, NM, and other nearby areas.